<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>To The Beat of My Heart by BloodyDemonWitch</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27566131">To The Beat of My Heart</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodyDemonWitch/pseuds/BloodyDemonWitch'>BloodyDemonWitch</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anakin Skywalker Doesn't Turn to the Dark Side, Child Luke Skywalker, Death, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, No Proofreading We Die Like Men, Terminal Illnesses, Unhappy Ending, very sad</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:40:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,041</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27566131</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodyDemonWitch/pseuds/BloodyDemonWitch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Daddy, why are you crying?” four-year-old Luke Skywalker asked his father. </p><p>Anakin swore in himself and wiped away a tear. He had been so determined not to let his son see his sadness, but he had already failed. </p><p>“You are sad again.” Luke said.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anakin Skywalker &amp; Luke Skywalker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>To The Beat of My Heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay, so warning before the story begins: this is very sad. Sadder than my usual stuff.<br/>Spoiler: at the end there is implied child death.<br/>If this triggers you, please turn away now.<br/>Alright, don't say I didn't warn you.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Daddy, why are you crying?” four-year-old Luke Skywalker </span>
  <span>asked his father.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Anakin swore in himself and wiped away a tear</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>He had been so determined not to let his son see his sadness, but he had already failed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>You are sad again.” Luke said. Even in his weak and sick state </span>
  <span>was the boy </span>
  <span>perceptive</span>
  <span> of </span>
  <span>his</span>
  <span> father.</span>
  
  
</p><p>
  <span>Luke reached out for Anakin</span>
  <span> from his bed</span>
  <span>.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be sad, Daddy</span>
  <span>.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Luke clumsily reached out with the Force, trying to comfort </span>
  <span>Anakin. Anakin sent waves of love and appreciation back to Luke, who smiled.</span>
  <span> There was a big gap between two of his teeth. He had lost one </span>
  <span>last week.</span>
  <span> Luke had s</span>
  <span>ow</span>
  <span>n him the tooth proudly.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> finally </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>gonna</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> get grown-up teeth, </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>P</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>apa! Just like you!”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The heart monitor </span>
  <span>kept its steady rhythm</span>
  <span>. </span>
  <span>Anakin unconsciously rocked his rocking chair on its beat.</span>
  <span> The rocking chair </span>
  <span>had moved from its original place near the window to next to the bed about a year ago, when Luke had just </span>
  <span>started</span>
  <span> getting sick.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Anakin had spent quite some sleepless nights in that rocking chair. Watching his son with weary, worried eyes. He knew the end was coming soon. Both he and Luke had felt it in the Force, but Luke hadn’t known what it meant, while Anakin had. He had felt it before, a couple of weeks before his mother died and later before </span>
  <span>Padmé’s</span>
  <span> death.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Anakin had hoped to never feel it again, but he had. He was trying to stay with Luke every moment of the day. Anakin tried his best to be happy. He tried so hard not cry in front of his small son. He didn’t want Luke’s last moments to be sad. He wanted them to be happy and carefree. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Anakin felt his eyes starting to burn again. He swallowed down his tears. Anakin felt something soft against his skin and he looked down. He saw Luke’s favorite plushie in his arms. It was a stuffed Varactyl, which Luke had named Ben. The thing always reminded Anakin of Obi-Wan for some reason. He gripped the plushie a little tighter.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Obi-Wan had become Anakin’s shoulder to cry on, both </span>
  <span>figuratively</span>
  <span> and literally. Obi-Wan had sat with Luke when Anakin couldn’t take it anymore and needed some distance from everything. Luke loved Obi-Wan almost as much as he loved Anakin. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>But Obi-Wan wasn’t here right now. An </span>
  <span>emergency</span>
  <span> at the Jedi Temple. At first Obi-Wan had refused to go, wanting to be here for Luke and Anakin, but Luke had told him that it was okay.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“It’s okay, Uncle Obi-Wan. I will look after daddy for you.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He tried to put Ben the </span>
  <span>Varactyl</span>
  <span> back into Luke’s bed, but Luke stopped him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you want Ben, Sunshine?” Anakin asked. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Luke sleepily shook his head.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Papa.” He yawned, “You need him more.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you tired?” Anakin’s voice was thick with emotion.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Luke nodded. Anakin carefully lifted Luke out of his bed and across his lap. Luke tightly grabbed on to Anakin. Luke tucked his head under Anakin’s chin and with his head on Anakin’s chest. His ear directly on his father’s heart. Anakin was still rocking back and forward in the rocking chair. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you tell me story?” Luke asked.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Anakin combed his hand through Luke’s hair.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Which one do want to hear, Little One?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Luke yawned.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“The one about little Ani.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Anakin sighed. Obi-Wan had told Luke an altered version of the pod-race and it had become Luke’s favorite story.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Once upon a time, in a galaxy far </span>
  <span>far</span>
  <span> away, there was a little boy named Ani.” Anakin swallowed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Ani was a very special boy, for he had special powers. He was quicker than other people and could see things before they happened. But Ani was also very poor and he and his mother could not always afford to eat. One day a man came to Ani’s town. The man said he needed help.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Anakin quickly wiped a tear away.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Ani wanted to help the man. He said:</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir, I want to help you, but my mama and I have no money, but I could make you some.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The man was curious. He asked how Ani would get the money. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to win the pod-race for you, Sir.” Ani said, “I already have a pod. I just need a sponsor.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The man decided to become Ani’s sponsor and he promised Ani that he would take him with him to a place where he would never have to be hungry again. Ani was a very good racer, so the other racers were afraid of him. Do you remember what they did, Sunshine?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Luke yawned.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“They broke his pod, because they were </span>
  <span>jealous</span>
  <span>.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, they did. But Ani was real smart and he raced better than all the other racers. He won the pod-race and gave the money to the kind man. The man took Ani with him to a different world.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Was Ani happy there?” Luke asked.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it took a long time for him to get happy, but in the end he did.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I'm tired.” Luke mumbled. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Anakin softly kissed Luke’s forehead.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Go to sleep. I will be there when you wake up.” He promised.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Promise?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Promise.” Anakin was chocked up again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I will see Mommy again.” Luke whispered and closed his eyes.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“If you do, tell her I love her, okay?” Anakin’s eyes were full of tears again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Mmmm</span>
  <span>, k.” Luke sighed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Anakin sniffled and tears fell down from his face. He tucked Luke a little closer to his chest and held him as tightly as he could. Anakin took a couple of deep breaths and rocked the chair.  </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Anakin slowly listened to the heart monitor slowing down, until it had a much slower, but stable rhythm. Anakin prayed to the Force he would never have to listen to that one awful, long note. But he knew that time was coming and he knew it was coming soon. But until then he would hold his child as tightly as he could and tell him stories every night. He would promise Luke every night that he would be there when he woke up, until he would break that promise and Luke wouldn’t wake up anymore.</span>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, recently I have been dealing with a lot of sad stuff in my life. I won't go into detail, mostly because I don't want to, but I will tell you that writing is how I cope. Which is why my recent works were mostly focused on Father-Son relationships and end sadly.<br/>But don't worry about me, things are getting better.<br/>See you in the next story!</p><p>
  <a href="https://bloodydemonwitch.tumblr.com/">My Tumblr, in case you want to say hi.</a>
</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>